Redemption
by kaela097
Summary: Sequel to Manic. When life gives Blair and Chuck expected surprises, the twists and turns allow them a chance at redemption.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

**This is a continuation of Manic. It starts approximately five months after Manic ended. I must point out that Seasons Five and Six never happened in this story, but some of the storylines from those seasons will find their way into this story. I hope you enjoy.**

"Oh my God!" Blair screeched. "Chuck! Chuck, get in here!"

"What's wrong?" Chuck darted into the room with Evie. His five-month-old angel was sound asleep, safe and sound as usual, in his arms. Ever the doting dad, Chuck rarely wanted to put her down, and the young parents had found that putting her down before she was asleep she would result in her screaming her head off.

"Have you seen this?" Blair held up her phone. Though she'd unsubscribed to Gossip Girl nearly two years earlier, Serena still forwarded her a blast or two on occasion. She usually just deleted them, but she'd opened this one.

Chuck's face turned sickly pale as he took in the image of his father. Why would his wife show him a picture of his deceased father? She knew the issues he had.

"This was taken less than an hour ago at JFK."

"That's impossible," Chuck shook his head as all color drained from his face, "Someone's playing a sick joke. My father died nearly six years ago."

Blair turned on the television as the post instructed, "According to the blast, the news is all over ZNN."

The headline of the story scrolled across the screen, "Bart Bass Returns from the Dead!"

A ringing of their doorbell echoed through their home.

Chuck looked at the little girl in his arms as tears streamed down his face. He was in such a good place right now. He was married to the love of his life. He had two beautiful children. His father returning had the potential to shatter his happy existence.

The ringing of Blair's phone interrupted his thoughts.

"It's Serena," Blair sighed as she looked at the caller ID before she answered it, "Hey, S. How's your mom?"

"_Oh my god, B, have you seen the news!"_ she shrieked, _"Everyone is freaking out, Mom, more than anyone. You know this means that she and Rufus aren't legally married, don't you?"_

"Have you seen him, S?" Blair asked nervously.

"_No, Mom had our floor locked down. She doesn't want anyone getting in. The press is going crazy and trying to push past Vanya. We aren't letting anyone in right now. What about you? Is the press bothering you too? Have you seen Bart? Surely Chuck would be his first stop."_

"We haven't seen or heard a word from him," Blair replied as the doorbell began to persistently ring. It was clear that whoever it was would not go away quietly. "S, I have to go. Someone is trying to wake our two sleeping angels, and naptime isn't over yet. If it's the paparazzi, I'm going to get a restraining order."

"_How's Chuck?"_

"Here, ask him yourself." Blair handed Chuck the phone and then took Evie from him, "I'll put her down and then go strangle whoever is at the door."

Chuck nodded as he kissed the top of Evie's head. Blair caressed his cheek, wiping away the tears that remained. "He can't hurt us, Chuck. No matter his agenda, you and I are as solid as the diamond on my finger."

Chuck nodded again as he found her lips just as another ring chimed out.

"How's Lily?" Chuck spoke to Serena once Blair and Evie were out of the room.

"_She's freaking out, Chuck,"_ Serena responded, _"But forget about Mom for a moment. How are you?"_

"I don't know," Chuck replied. After the initial moment of panic, he now felt nothing. "In shock, I guess. I don't understand how any of this is possible. You and Lily were with him when he died. I watched the orderly cover him with a sheet. We buried him."

"_Mom's having the same thoughts. If anyone could pull it off though, it would have been…be Bart,"_ Serena stated.

"Serena, I have to see who's at the door," Chuck stated as the doorbell chimed yet again.

"_Be careful, Chuck,"_ Serena warned him, _"Bart had a lot of enemies before he died. If he's really alive, they are going to be coming after him and you."_

"Thanks for the concern," he replied as he started walking towards their front door. Rosa was scurrying towards it, trying to silence the commotion before it woke the children. "Rosa, I'll answer it."

"Yes, Mister Chuck," Rosa bowed slightly, "They cause so much ringing. Mister Luca and Miss Evie going to wake."

"Blair took Evie into Luca's room. It's soundproof," Chuck assured her.

"I go see if she need anything," Rosa stated as she flitted out of the room.

Chuck took a deep breath to prepare himself to go on the attack with however was on the other side of the door. The nerve anyone had to interrupt his private life with what Chuck was convinced wasn't anything more than a prank. He simply couldn't wrap his head around the possibility that his father had somehow faked his death and disappeared for nearly six years with so little regard for his son's wellbeing.

Chuck's heart stopped as he opened the door. Reality was playing another cruel prank on him. "Dad?"

"Chuck, my boy," his father embraced him.

Chuck went completely numb as his father continued to hug him. He couldn't even summon the thought as to when he'd last been hugged by the man. His arms didn't have the strength to return the hug. He still felt as if he was experiencing an awful dream.

"Are you going to ask your old man to come in or keep him on your doorstep?" Bart asked as he stepped back. There was a smirk on his face that felt out of place. Bart never smiled.

"Come in," Chuck stepped back to allow his father into his home. As Bart stepped in Chuck noticed two authoritative men standing behind his father in matching dark blue suits, earwigs in their ears, and guns holstered at their hips. One stayed outside and the other escorted Bart into the foyer. Their appearance screamed FBI.

"You have a lovely home, Son," Bart stated as he took in the appearance of the entryway.

"It's all Blair," Chuck rubbed his hands together as he looked nervously towards the man scanning his home with some sort of device in his hands, "Are you going to introduce your friend?"

"Special Agent Simmons, this is my son, Chuck. Chuck, this is Special Agent Simmons, FBI," Bart confirmed his son's suspicions.

The agent nodded in acknowledgement yet continued on with his task of sweeping the entryway.

"Does he explain where you've been for the past six years?" Chuck snapped, the bitterness in his voice coming through, surprising even himself.

"He's a small part of it," Bart nodded solemnly. He hadn't expected his son to roll out the red carpet for him. He'd put him through a horrible ordeal. All he could do now was try to make amends.

"I don't know what to say," Chuck stated after several painful minutes of silence as the agent finished his sweep of the entryway and then began making his way through each room without an invitation.

"Honestly, I don't know what you could say," Bart responded, "I've dreamt about this moment for six years, and even I'm at a loss for words."

"You died. We buried you. We mourned for you. How are you now standing here in my foyer?" Chuck shouted, the anger of six years starting to come out.

"It's a long story," Bart began, "One that I will tell you in its entirety, but I want to focus on you right now. You are not the seventeen year old boy I knew when I left."

"You've never given me a second thought for seventeen years. Why should now be any different?" Chuck hissed.

"I've done a lot of reflecting since I left," Bart responded.

"Reflecting," Chuck barked, "How about picking up the darn phone and calling your only child to let him know you're alive! Do you have any clue about the things I went through while you were gone?" Even with his rage, his language was kept in check because he knew that any moment his son could wander down the stairs, and he didn't want to teach his son such foul language, though keeping his language in check was extremely difficult.

"I know everything," Bart nodded solemnly, "I know about Thailand. I know about smoking pot at St. Jude's and almost getting expelled. I know about falling in love with Blair, about Jack digging up some ex-lover and convincing you that she was your mother and then you trading Blair for the hotel that Jack was trying to take from you…"

"You can stop," Chuck cut him off abruptly. He'd apologized to Blair for his past misdeeds until he was blue in the face. He wasn't going to allow his father to throw them in his face now, especially after a six-year absence from his life.

"I know about your diagnosis and subsequent therapy. I know about your marriage and bringing two children into the world with Blair," he choked on a sob that he was trying to suppress.

"Congratulations, you know every damn thing that happened to me. None of that answers where the hell you've been for the past _six _years," Chuck hollered.

"Chuck," Blair made her way down the steps with their son in her arms, "Luca's asking for you."

The little brunette boy had his head on Blair's shoulder. He had his tired, pouty face as he rubbed at his eyes. "Daddy," he called out as Blair reached the bottom step as he reached out to him.

"There's my little man," Chuck's anger disappeared as he lifted Luca out of Blair's arms, "Did the doorbell wake you?"

Luca shook his head from side to side as his head came to rest against Chuck's shoulder. "I not tired anymore."

"Are you sure about that?" Chuck laughed as he ruffled his son's hair.

"Who's tat, Daddy?" Luca pointed towards Bart.

Blair gasped his surprise, having not seen Bart as she made her way down the stairs.

"That is my father, Bart," Chuck stated as he grasped his son's hand and pulled his finger back, "Say hi to your grandfather, Luca."

"Hi," Luca replied as he waved slightly.

Bart was fighting off tears as he waved back. "Chuck, he's beautiful."

"Takes after Blair," Chuck stated as he kissed the top of Luca's head as he reached his hand towards Blair, "You remember Blair, don't you?"

"She's even more beautiful than I remember," Bart nodded as Blair stepped into Chuck and wrapped her arms around his waist, "Welcome to the family, Blair."

"Thank you, Mister Bass," Blair smiled nervously.

"I think Bart will work just fine," he replied.

There was another long pause as Bart took in the young family.

"We have a little girl, too," Blair stated finally, "She's five months."

"I've heard," Bart nodded.

"I should go get her. She'll want to meet her grandpa."

"It's not necessary," Bart stopped her.

"Are you going to be in town for long?" Blair asked.

"Hopefully," Bart nodded.

"Could you stay for dinner? Our housekeeper, Rosa, is a fantastic cook. You must try her cooking," Blair insisted.

"I'd love to," Bart replied, "If it's okay with my son."

"Will you read me?" Luca batted his lashes at his grandfather, his Waldorf charms oozing out.

"Read you?" Bart frowned in confusion.

"He likes people to read to him," Chuck explained, "Bedtime stories especially."

"I go night-night," Luca added.

"Not yet, Peanut," Blair nipped at his cheek, "We have to eat first. Bart, will you be joining us?"

Bart looked to Chuck for his answer.

Every rejection, every insult, every hurt feeling came bubbling up as Chuck contemplated his options. He wanted to do to his father what had been done to him, but looking into his son's big, brown eyes, the ones that held such adoration for him, he couldn't do it. He needed to be the bigger man. "Please stay for dinner."

The snooping special agent reemerged from concluding his sweep, startling Blair with his presence.

"Blair, this is Special Agent Simmons," Chuck explained, "He escorted my father. There's another agent standing guard outside our front door. There's an explanation that we are not yet privy."

"Would you like to join us for dinner, Agent Simmons?" Blair asked.

"No, thank you," the agent shook his head quickly as he turned to address Bart, "We'll be outside if you need us."

"Would you like a drink, Bart?" Blair asked as she showed him into the library where there was still a wet bar set up even as Chuck wasn't able to partake, "Scotch on the rocks, right?"

"You are correct," Bart nodded as he watched Blair prepare his drink and then pour herself and Chuck a club soda. His eyes were on Luca as he accepted the drink. "I can't get over how much Luca looks like Chuck did at that age."

"We have pictures of them side by side at this age. It's very difficult to tell them apart," Blair smiled as she kissed the top of Luca's head. She was overjoyed to have a Chuck Bass clone, as he would surely be the most handsome boy growing up.

"I bet you're a hit at the sandbox," Bart tentatively addressed the small boy clinging to his father.

"I like the sandbox," Luca responded, not really understanding Bart's statement.

"Before I forget, I have gifts," Bart suddenly pulled two small boxes from his pockets, "This one is for you, Luca."

Luca looked to his father for direction. Even at a young age, he knew not to accept gifts from strangers. Bart Bass was most definitely a stranger to the tot.

"It's okay, Luca, you can have it," Chuck urged him to take the box that Bart was offering.

Luca snatched the box out of Bart's hand and eagerly tried to pry it open. He struggled mightily to lift the lid, but neither Blair nor Chuck would offer help unless asked. Christmas that year had taught them that their son had an independent streak. "Help," Luca requested finally as he handed the box back to Bart for assistance.

"Help, what?" Chuck prompted him.

"Help, please," Luca elaborated as Bart took the box from him, lifted the lid with ease to show the boy what was inside. Luca's eyes lit up with intrigue as he looked inside to see a set of cufflinks, "Shiny."

"And they have your initials, Luca," Bart held them up for the boy to see, "See, an 'L' and a 'B'."

"Like Daddy's," Luca proclaimed as he snatched one from Bart's hand and lifted it towards his father, nearly hitting him in the eye in his excitement.

"Yes, Luca, they are like mine," Chuck nodded as he tilted his head back to avoid injury, "What do you say?"

"Thank you," Luca turned towards Bart again.

"Put that back in the box," Chuck instructed him, "You don't want to lose the first gift your grandfather gave you."

Luca dropped the gift back into the box Bart was holding. When the lid was replaced, Luca snatched the box back from Bart and handed it to Blair to take care of.

"This is for your daughter," Bart stated as he handed Blair another box of similar size.

"May I look?" Blair inquired.

"Of course," Bart nodded.

Blair lifted the lid and saw a pair of small, platinum apple earrings. The design very similar to the ones Chuck had given her the morning after their wedding.

"They're beautiful, Bart," Blair stated as she turned the box towards Chuck to view, "Chuck gave me his mother's apple earrings. I wear them often."

"So did Evelyn," Bart spoke softly. His eyes showed a glimmer of sadness. Even twenty years later, there was still so much sadness whenever his deceased wife was mentioned.

"Rosa," Chuck called out for their housekeeper.

"Yes, Mister Chuck," Rosa scurried into the room.

"We'll be having a guest for dinner this evening," he told her.

"I set extra place at table," Rosa nodded as she left as quickly as she came.

"Read, read, read," Luca chanted as he bounced in Chuck's arms.

"After dinner, Peanut," Blair assured him as she lifted him out of his father's arms, "How about we go check on Evie and let Daddy talk to his daddy? Chuck, why don't you give your father the grand tour?"

"She's always eager to get feedback on our home," he chuckled as Blair left the room after giving him a gentle warning to play nice.

"A tour would be superb," Bart nodded.

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"I'm sure you have a million questions," Bart started the inevitable conversation after father and son returned to the library after Chuck gave the tour of his home, making sure to point out the touches Blair was most proud of.

"A million and one," Chuck amended, "You died. We buried you. How are you standing here?"

"The accident was real, and I was in rough shape for awhile. I had to learn how to do basically everything over again, eat, drink, brush my teeth, comb my hair, walk," Bart began, "But the accident was no accident. I was targeted. Someone wanted me dead. With me alive, you, Lily, and her children were in danger. I was offered a deal. Fake my own death to ensure your safety."

"Did you even think about how your death could affect me?" Chuck growled.

"Honestly, I was more concerned about your safety," Bart replied, "And our relationship wasn't the best. I figured there would be a short period of mourning and then you'd go on with your life."

Chuck felt like punching something in response to his father's assumption. He'd almost drunk himself into a coma. He left Blair in the middle of the night and ran off. He had no intention of coming back until he was hauled back by his bastard of an uncle.

"I know now that I was wrong," Bart added.

"Congratulations," Chuck spoke out sarcastically, "Do you have any idea what it's like to feel completely alone, to see that there is no one in your life that cares if you live or die? Because I went through that more than once while you were gone. Both of my parents were dead. The woman that I loved was dating my best friend and then a goddamn prince that was using her to get some ridiculous title. Anyone in my life that paid me any attention only did so because I paid them to. That's not a life. It took me awhile to learn my lesson, but I'm never going back to that."

"You're lucky to have learned that lesson so young," Bart responded, "It took me giving up everything to learn. There isn't a day that has gone by that I haven't thought about you and all the mistakes that I made raising you. There are so many regrets that I have, Chuck."

"So you came back to relieve your guilt," Chuck concluded.

"I came back to do the right thing by you," Bart replied.

"Then tell me why the hell you've been gone for the last six years," Chuck snarled.

"You know about Jack's embezzlement scam," Bart began, unsurprised by Chuck's angry outburst, "But you weren't the first to try taking him down. I first learned of the scam just after I returned from my honeymoon with Lily. One of Jack's so called investors was demanding payment, but he didn't have the money. The investor incorrectly assumed that the investment was what was being used to fund Bass Industries, so they came to me demanding payment. I immediately went to the Bureau. The authorities took my statement and began investigating, but I still had the investor hounding me for the money. I didn't have the liquid means to pay the man off. The Bureau swore that they would take me into protective custody if I agreed to help take Jack down, but the so-called accident happened before the deal could be finalized. The accident set everything in motion much quicker than I was prepared for.

"Originally, you and Lily were going to be read into what would happen, but with the nearly successful attempt on my life I realized that even knowing that I was alive and in protective custody was going to make both of you a target. I paid off the doctors, nurses and orderlies. The Bureau took me into immediate custody and helped sell that I was actually dead.

"With me gone, Jack started to really push his plan with investors. He reeled in several Wall Street goons to make the deal sound more legitimate, but he was careful. Nothing could be tied to him and the investor that threatened me disappeared to avoid the heat that my so called death brought upon them, so until both Jack was brought to justice and the threatening investor was flushed out I had to remain dead."

"Jack's already doing hard time," Chuck responded.

"Sorry to interrupt, but look who's awake," Blair announced as she came down with Evie in her arms and their nanny a step behind with their son.

"That's Daddy's daddy," Luca told the nanny that he was hugging tight.

"Bart, this is our nanny, Millie," Blair introduced the woman to her father-in-law, "Li-Li, this is Chuck's father, Bart."

"Good to meet you, Mister Bass," Millie stated as she extended her hand.

When Bart shook her hand, Luca chimed in with an extra tight hug around Millie's neck, "My Li-Li."

"That's right, but right now you have to say goodbye to Li-Li, Peanut," Blair instructed the boy, "She's going home for the day."

"Bye, Li-Li," Luca waved his nanny away as a pout took up residence on his face. He hated having to say goodbye to his nanny at the end of every day.

"I'd better make sure that the agents outside don't frisk you," Chuck walked Millie to the front door, anything for an excuse to leave his father's presence for a few moments.

Luca jogged over to Bart and extended his arms. Bart look startled by the gesture as he lifted Luca up. The little boy curled into him immediately.

"He loves to cuddle," Blair explained as she witnessed the panicked expression on Bart's face. She had to bit her lip to stop herself from laughing at the awkwardness the once powerful man was displaying. She had a sudden wonder to if he'd ever even held his own son at such an age, if at all, "When I was pregnant with Evie, he would cuddle with me for our afternoon naps everyday."

"Evie?" Bart picked out.

"Evelyn Victoria Bass," Blair stated as she stepped forward to show off her daughter.

"She's beautiful," Bart smiled slightly, but hearing the name also brought out the sadness once again.

"Chuck has the same reaction when we call her Evelyn," Blair explained, "That's why we call her Evie. I got to name Luca after one of my most influential people. When Evie was born we tried to determine who the most influential person was in Chuck's life, and even though she was gone as Chuck grew up, we agreed that his mother was possibly the most influential person."

"So it's just Bass, not Waldorf-Bass?" Bart inquired as a way to change the subject.

"It would be silly to hyphenate our children's names when even I don't," Blair snickered, "I had intended to hyphenate my name when I went to change it after Chuck and I were married, but I had a pregnancy moment and just put Bass on the form. I thought about changing it, but the more I said it the more I liked it. Not to mention, Luca Harold Waldorf-Bass would be a lot for this boy to learn how to spell when he starts learning his letters."

"I had trouble spelling Bartholomew for the longest time," Bart confessed, "That's how Bart got started. My parents always called me Bartholomew."

"And Jack?" Blair inquired, "What is that short for?"

"Jackson Xavier Bass," Bart replied.

"Do you know that he's in prison?" Blair bit her lip nervously.

"I do," he nodded, "I was the one to originally tip the FBI off to the scheme."

"Is that part of why you had to leave?" Blair inquired as she wrestled a strand of her hair away from Evie's fingers. Her daughter loved to play tug of war with her. She would wear it back if her husband wasn't so enamored with running his fingers through it.

"It's complicated," Bart sighed.

"I'm sure it is," Blair nodded as she kissed her daughter's empty hand, "Anything involving Jack Bass is."

"I wish I'd been able to do more to keep Jack out of your lives after I left," he frowned, "He's always brought nothing but heartache and grief to my life."

"He's done the same for me and Chuck," Blair agreed, "But he'll be out of our lives for a long time."

"Hopefully," Bart added.

Chuck returned after the few minutes he'd taken to decompress after the intense conversation with his father. He was visibly startled to see Luca making himself at home in Bart's arms, but his son looked as content as he usually did in the arms of any of his other grandparents.

"There's my princess," Chuck switched gears as he saw Evie reaching out for him. He lifted her into his arms. His little girl would always reach for him if she was in the arms of another, even if those arms belonged to her mother. She was 'Daddy's Little Girl', and Chuck relished his bond with her. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Unfortunately a little short," Blair replied as she motioned towards Luca. Chuck knew what that meant. Luca had accidentally woken his sister with his usual exuberance.

"You're just going to have to learn to sleep a little heavier, like your mother," he cooed, "You take after her in so many other ways, why did you have to inherit my sleeping traits?"

Evie just batted her eyelashes and giggled.

Chuck laughed along with her as he walked across the room to show her off to his father. "This is Evie. Evie, this is your grandfather, Bart."

"I was telling Blair how beautiful she is," Bart replied.

"Takes after her mother," Chuck sent a flirtatious wink in his wife's direction.

"She was also explaining how you came up with her name," Bart added, "It's a beautiful name."

"I wish Jack had allowed me to keep the image of my mother pure," Chuck sighed, "Rather than ruin it with the imposture."

"You must think I'm a horrible man for the affair that I had," Bart sighed.

"I don't understand how you could have an affair when you claimed to love my mother so deeply, but I don't hate you for it," Chuck responded.

"Elizabeth Fischer caught me at the weakest of moments," Bart went on with his explanation.

"I really don't want to hear it," Chuck cut him off, "That's best left in the past."

"But you deserve an explanation," Bart continued on.

"I don't want some sort of rationalization about how you justified cheated on the woman that you have mourned for two decades, someone whose death devastated you so much that you closed yourself off to your own son," Chuck responded, "For the life of me, I can't understand that. I could never have done that to Luca or Evie."

"Daddy grumpy," Luca chimed in as he recognized his father's shifting mood, "Nap time."

"It's not nap time for Daddy," Blair snickered as she poked him playfully in the ribs to get his attention and then held out her hands to take him from Bart, "But it is dinner time. Why don't we move this reunion to the dining room?"

Bart and Chuck nodded as they followed Blair's lead to a silent truce.

"Are you going to be able to stay in New York for very long?" Blair inquired as she set Luca up in his booster chair to eat his dinner as Rosa was putting the finishing touches on the grown ups' dinners.

"For the foreseeable future," Bart confirmed, "Though the living arrangements still need to be worked out. For now I'm being put up in the Palace by the federal government."

"Will you be returning to Bass Industries then?" Blair inquired as she cut up the bits of chicken for Luca to eat.

"That will be up to the board of directors," Bart responded.

"And your marriage to Lily?" Chuck asked.

"Another complication," he sighed, "When I went into protective custody, my union to Lily was dissolved. Legally she is married to Rufus. I think it's best to not complicate her life any more than it already is."

"What about the inheritance that she was left, that Chuck was left?" Blair inquired, "What is going to happen to all of that? Chuck used a significant piece of that to buy our home."

"Not that significant," Bart chuckled, "Chuck was due his inheritance when he turned eighteen. Every penny that he's spent, he was entitled to. Lily and I will have to come to some agreement regarding what was left to her."

"Why now?" Chuck asked, "Why are you returning now? Jack's been in jail for over a year."

"With any luck, he'll stay there for a long time," Bart agreed, "But the embezzlement scheme wasn't the only reason I was gone."

"Yes, this mystery investor," Chuck replied, "The one that chased you away from your wife, son, company, and life."

"Mystery investor?" Blair repeated as Luca held out a piece of chicken to Chuck to eat. Blair had been teaching Luca about sharing, and his favorite person to share with was his father.

"Thank you, Luca," Chuck stated as he took the piece after kissing Luca's hand. He placed a few pieces of his potatoes on Luca's plate as a trade off before he offered an opinion to his wife. "It's not worth knowing."

Blair continued trying to make small talk through dinner, trying to get father and son to interact. Bart was engaged, but Chuck was mostly interested in feeding his son and entertaining his daughter.

"Read, Papa," Luca darted towards Bart as he was released from his booster seat, "Read."

"You are persistent," Bart chuckled as he lifted Luca into his lap.

"Read, Papa," Luca repeated.

"Papa?" Bart inquired.

"He calls all his grandfathers 'Papa'," Blair explained, "He hasn't gotten the hang of saying Grandpa or Grand-Pere. I hope you don't mind."

"I rather like Papa Bart," he informed his grandson.

"Papa Art, Papa Art," Luca cheered.

"Bart," Blair corrected him, "Say Bart."

"Art," Luca repeated.

"Bart," Blair responded again, "B-art."

"B-art," Luca repeated.

"Good boy," Bart patted his head gingerly.

"Read, Papa B-Art," Luca requested again.

"Chuck, will you take Luca and Bart upstairs and show him where we keep the books?" Blair requested as she cleaned up Evie who had made a mess of the sweet potatoes Blair had been feeding her in between bites of her own meal, "I'll bath Evie and get her ready for bed."

Chuck nodded as he extended his arms to Luca.

"Papa take me," Luca replied as he shrugged off his father's arms.

"Will you stay through bedtime?" Chuck inquired of his father.

"There is nowhere else I'd rather be," Bart looked to his son with sincere eyes.

"I'll show you up," Chuck motioned his father to follow him.

Luca sang an off key version of his favorite nursery rhyme as they climbed the stairs that had Bart chuckling with each step. The sound was so foreign to anything Chuck remembered hearing growing up.

"I change into jamas," Luca announced as he disappeared into his closet.

"This looks familiar," Bart reached out to touch Chuck's baby picture.

"I didn't know you kept any of those type of mementos," Chuck responded, "It was a shot in the dark when I asked Lily if you had anything like that."

"I wasn't the parent you needed, Chuck, but I was still a parent," Bart responded, "Parents keep mementos from their children's lives."

"I didn't know you had an ounce of sentimentality in you," Chuck responded. A thought occurred to him so he added, "…for someone other than your wife."

"I'm here now, Chuck, and I intend to fix this great divide between the two of us. My priorities are straight for perhaps the first time in my life. I realized very early on during my exile that the first thing I wanted to do when I was allowed back into your life was to take part in in," Bart explained, "So whatever anger you have for me, let it out. You cannot be as angry with me as I am with myself."

"Want to bet," Chuck hissed as Luca reappeared in his favorite teddy bear footie pajamas. The anger was quickly masked as Chuck knelt down to help Luca finish getting dressed as he still hadn't mastered buttons, zippers, and snaps. "What story do you want Papa Bart to read to you?"

Luca went to his bookcase, selected his favorite and extended it to Bart.

"Sit, Papa," Luca commanded him.

Bart made himself comfortable in the chaise lounge as Luca climbed into his lap. He made himself right at home as Bart opened the book and began the narration. When the story ended, Luca's eyes were heavy, but he fought to stay awake. "Again, Papa." Bart willingly read the story again. Luca's eyes were heavier as he requested the story a third time, and he was sound asleep before the story ended.

"I'll take him," Chuck spoke softly as he lifted Luca into his arms and crossed the room to put him in his crib.

"He's a beautiful boy," Bart stated as he stepped in to observe his grandson.

"One of the three best things in my life," Chuck proclaimed.

"You have a beautiful family," Bart agreed, "Any plans to add to it?"

"Not just yet," Chuck shook his head, "Both Luca and Evie snuck up on us before we were ready. We're taking our time with the next addition."

"But another child is in the plans?" Bart inquired.

"We hope so," Chuck nodded, "Blair and I both want at least one, maybe two, more."

"It's easy to see why with such a charmer like Luca."

"I need to help Blair get Evie to sleep," Chuck stated, "She won't fall to sleep if I don't rock her."

"Mind if your old man tags along?" Bart inquired, "This glimpse into the domestic life of my son is fascinating. Your ease with your children is refreshing. We don't see many hands on parents in our world."

"Blair and I wanted better for our children," Chuck responded as he showed Bart to Evie's room where Blair was dressing their little girl for bed.

"Such the little princess," Blair cooed as Evie immediately reached out for Chuck.

"Did you splash Mommy?" Chuck laughed as he noted the water spots on Blair's blouse.

"It's still her favorite game," Blair winked towards Bart.

"Come here, Princess," Chuck lifted her into his arms and placed her against his shoulder. Her eyes were allowed to connect with Bart's.

"She has your mother's eyes, Chuck," Bart commented as he ran his fingers on the closed fist of his granddaughter's hand.

"She has her father's eyes," Blair added as she kissed her husband's cheek.

"Do you want to hold her?" Chuck asked as he turned towards his father.

"No," Bart shook off the suggestion quickly, "No, it's been years since I held an infant. I wouldn't even know how."

"She's very forgiving," Blair assured him as she ushered Bart towards the rocking chair in the corner of the room and then reclaimed Evie. Surprisingly there was no protest from her daughter as she was removed from her father's arms and then lowered her into Bart's.

Bart was awkward with Evie, but the little girl didn't make a sound as she was jostled about as he tried to get comfortable with her. Blair didn't hesitate in helping Bart get acclimated and didn't leave his side.

"She's a little charmer, like her brother," Bart observed.

"Like their mother," Chuck added as his eyes connected with the camera in the corner of the room. He knew this moment needed to be captured for posterity. Before either Blair or Bart could spot the lens, he snapped a picture.

"Chuck," Blair admonished him, "A little warning would be nice."

"Doesn't matter, you're beautiful in every picture," he responded as he glanced at the results on the screen.

"Your turn," Blair stated as she snatched the camera from him and gently shoved him towards his father and daughter, "We'll have to have a picture with Luca next time Papa Bart comes to visit."

"Which will be very soon," Bart chimed in as Chuck stepped in for Blair to take a photo.

"Get a little closer, Chuck," Blair instructed as she looked through viewfinder to see that his head was going to be cut off in his current position.

Chuck reluctantly crouched down closer to his father. Blair snapped the photo and examined the results. She'd never seen it before but there was a similarity between father and son.

Chuck watched his father with Evie, who was making herself feel more and more at home in Bart's arms as she tumbled off to sleep. She put up no fuss like she normally would.

"You have the magic touch, Bart," Blair smiled as she put the camera aside and reclaimed her daughter, "She's usually very reluctant to go to sleep. She's a night owl like her daddy. I'll put her to bed. Why don't the two of you go chat some more? I'll be down in a few minutes."

Chuck nodded as he guided his father down to the library. He could feel the anger building inside him, but he couldn't let it escape. His father wasn't doing anything wrong. Quite the opposite, for the first time Bart was doing everything right and that bugged him.

"That's a beautiful family, Chuck," Bart stated as Chuck poured him another drink, fighting the urge to pour himself one as well.

"They are the light of my life," Chuck agreed, "I cannot imagine my life without them."

"I hope you will let me be a part of their lives…and yours," Bart requested, "I know I've made mistakes with you, perhaps even unforgiveable mistakes, but I'm realizing the errors I made. I'd like to make it up to you somehow."

Chuck looked at his father for several torturous moments. The little boy in him that wanted so desperately to be noticed by his father came through. His head began bobbing up and down slightly before he spoke, "We can try."

Bart noticeably released a sigh of relief.

"Out like lights before nine p.m.," Blair announced as she carried both baby monitors, "That is a new record. Bart, you are our lucky charm."

"I was just telling Chuck what a beautiful family you have," Bart told Blair.

"We're very lucky," Blair smiled, "Even more so now that you have rejoined our life. Bart, I hope that you'll be around more often."

"That's my plan," Bart nodded as he glanced at his watch. The hours had magically flown by as it was nearing nine. "I should be getting to the hotel."

"You're welcome here anytime," Blair stated as she and Chuck walked him to the door.

"Thank you, Blair," he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"I'm so glad you're home," Blair surprised him by hugging him tight.

"I am too," he nodded.

"Welcome home, Dad," Chuck embraced his father.

"Thank you, Son," Bart tapped his back affectionately.

With Bart on the other side of the door, Chuck's composure was erased as he crumbled against his wife. The pain and anger of six years poured out. Blair held him tight and did her best to comfort him.

"Let's get you to bed," Blair stated as she struggled to keep them both upright. He nodded into her neck. She walked him straight to the elevator, knowing that he'd never have the strength to climb any flights of stairs.

She somehow managed to get him into bed and off to sleep.

As she checked on the children, both were sleeping peacefully. She lifted Evie into her arms and took up residence in the rocking chair. The news of Bart's return stunned her as much as her husband. So much time, so much pain had been caused by the supposed death of her father-in-law. With him now back in the fold, she wondered how this would affect her husband. Would it be the catalyst to allow Chuck to finally heal or would it send him on a spiral down into the depths.

"Mommy, where's Papa Bart?" Luca inquired as he stumbled into his sister's room having climbed out of his crib as he'd recently learned to do.

"He went to his hotel, Sweetheart," Blair stated as she reached out to ruffle his hair, "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Not tired," he replied.

"It's bedtime, Luca," Blair scolded him.

"Evie not in bed," Luca pointed out.

"But she's asleep like you should be," Blair stated.

"Not tired," he insisted.

"Evie's sleeping. Daddy's sleeping. You should be sleeping," Blair told him.

"No," he stomped his foot.

"How about if Mommy lays with you for awhile?" Blair offered as she crossed the room and laid Evie in her crib.

"Okay," he nodded as he extended his arms to her. She picked him up and brought into his bedroom, making herself comfortable in the lounge with Luca in her lap and Evie's monitor at her side.

"What did you think of Papa Bart?" Blair inquired as he snuggled into her.

"Like Papa Bart," Luca stated.

"He sure liked you," Blair ran her fingers through his hair rhythmically in hopes to get him back to sleep, "But we shouldn't be surprised. You are a very charming little boy."

"I see Papa Bart again?" he asked.

"I hope so," Blair nodded as she gently encouraged his head to her shoulder, "He's been gone a long time."

"He read me story three times," Luca stated, holding up three fingers as his eyes started to get heavy again.

"Really," Blair chuckled as she brought his fingers to her lips, "You're a very lucky little boy. Keep charming Papa Bart, okay Sweetheart? We want Papa Bart to come around as much as possible. Don't we?"

Luca nodded slightly as his eyes drifted closed. Blair sat with him for a while longer to make sure that he was indeed asleep this time before she put him back in his crib. She watched him sleep for a few minutes more, savoring the innocence with which he slept. Her little boy didn't have a care in the world. She knew she would do whatever it took to keep him sheltered from what was to come.

"You're supposed to be asleep," Blair found Chuck in Evie's bedroom when she did a final check on her children before she retiring for the evening. She smirked at the realization she'd had this same conversation with her son.

"You weren't next to me," Chuck responded as he swayed back and forth with his daughter.

"Our son woke up," Blair explained her absence, "Papa Bart made quite an impression on him."

"Seeing Bart with our children…" he began choking up, "I can't believe he's really back. All those years feel like such a waste right now. All that pain and anger that was wasted." He paused for several moments as he continued to sway with Evie in his arms. "I'm barely treading water right now. I'm going to make an appointment with my therapist. I need to stay ahead of these feelings."

"Okay," Blair sighed with relief. She was so proud of him making the effort to keep himself in control and for realizing what might happen if he didn't take care of himself.

"My family is my number one priority," Chuck vowed, "Whatever drama is brought on by Bart's returns, you and the children will be protected from that."

"I don't need to be protected," Blair replied, "I lost my innocence a long time ago, but I want these two to keep theirs for as long as possible. You can lean on me, Chuck. For better, for worse, remember, Bass…Put her down. We need our sleep to tackle tomorrow."

Chuck nodded as he kissed Evie's forehead, lowered her back into her crib, and then allowed Blair to pull him to bed.

**TBC…**

**I want to thank those who took a few moments to review the first chapter of my newest story. I appreciate the kind words. I also want to thank my beta, Lori2279, for her help and encouragement.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

The doorbell began ringing early the next morning. Chuck had left earlier for an emergency session with his therapist, leaving Blair and Li-Li to take care of the usual morning routine. Luca had been jabbering away since he hopped out of his crib and appeared before Blair, waking her from sleep before her usual routine.

"Bart," Blair gasped as she came into the entryway after Rosa told her who the visitor was, "This is a surprise."

"I hope I'm not interrupting," Bart wrung his hands together nervously. Blair could see her husband in the gesture as he did the same thing when he was nervous.

"Not at all. We're just sitting down to breakfast," Blair replied as she kissed his cheek in greeting, "Are you hungry? We have more than enough."

He nodded in agreement as he followed Blair into the dining room.

"Papa Bart," Luca called out happily from his chair.

"Hi, Luca," Bart smiled as he greeted the little boy with a slight wave.

"I have oatmeal," he announced as he held out a spoonful to his grandfather.

"You'd better eat that," his grandfather encouraged him.

Luca nodded as the spoon went in his mouth.

"Where's Chuck?" Bart inquired as he took the same seat he had the previous evening. The absence of his son was felt immediately.

"He had some business to see to this morning," Blair responded as she resumed feeding her daughter as Li-Li read the paper in between keeping Luca focused on his own breakfast, "He'll be home soon."

The doorbell rang just as Bart was about to respond.

Rosa scurried into the room with a breakfast plate for Bart, so Blair volunteered to answer the door as she handed Evie's spoon to Li-Li.

"Oh my god, B, Mom's building is swimming with paparazzi. They can't even leave their floor. There's a few of those vultures camped out at my place too," Serena announced as she stepped into Blair's home, stomping her feet to remove the snow that she'd waded through to get to her best friend's residence, "Did Chuck hire security guards or something? There are two men outside in sunglasses looking mighty intimidating."

"No," Blair shook her head.

"Well they're very effective in keeping the photogs away. Can I take them with me? There is literally no one outside your home. You'd think Chuck's home would be the prime target for those scroungers," Serena stated as she removed her wool coat and handed it to Blair.

"I don't think they're for hire," Blair snickered.

"Then what's going on?" Serena inquired, "Has Chuck even heard from Bart? Mom hasn't heard a peep. She's hurt. They're married for crying out loud. You'd think the second call he'd make would be to his wife."

"I think it's more complicated than that," Blair stated as Rosa came scurrying in to take Serena's coat and purse.

"All Mom does is pace her apartment," Serena stated, "The nerve of that man coming back from the dead to make his family wait. Chuck must be on pins and needles."

"S, take a breath," Blair stated, "I have to tell you something."

"Oh for heaven's sake, you're not pregnant again are you?" Serena gasped.

"That would be a neat trick, but no," Blair chuckled.

"Neat trick, don't tell me the two of you haven't had sex since little Evie was born," Serena scoffed.

"Don't be silly," Blair replied, "Of course we have, but we're using protection this time. We learned our lesson."

"Then what is it?" Serena requested.

"Bart's here," Blair spoke softly.

"What!" Serena exclaimed.

"He arrived just after we spoke to you yesterday," Blair explained.

"You should have told me," Serena shrieked, "Mom is worried sick about her marriage, about Chuck, about everything."

"We're just treading water ourselves," Blair replied, "Bart came here, met his grandchildren, had dinner with us, helped put the children to bed, and then was off to his hotel. It was so normal, yet so not."

"Has he said where he's been these past five, almost six, years?" Serena inquired.

"It's a long complicated answer," Blair sighed, "But the general gist that I got from the story is that it wasn't by choice that he left."

"Yeah, right," Serena rolled her eyes, "You don't just leave your wife and son without an explanation first, unless you're a bastard like Bart Bass."

"Bad word, Auntie S, pay Mister Piggy," Luca stated as he was carried into the room by Bart. He'd heard his aunt's voice filter into the dining room and batted his lashes at his grandfather to be taken into the entryway to greet her.

"Bart," Serena gasped at the sight of her previously deceased stepfather, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry you heard that."

"Bad word," Luca repeated as he gave her one of his famous pouts.

"You're so right, Peanut. I'm sorry. I'll pay Mister Piggy before I leave," Serena told her nephew as she kissed his cheek before she addressed her stepfather again, "Bart, I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, Serena," Bart assured her, "I'm sure I've been called much worse."

"I don't know what to say," Serena fumbled for a response, "Is welcome home appropriate?"

"It works," Bart nodded.

"I had no idea you were here," Serena stated.

"I'm trying to keep a low profile," Bart replied, "We weren't even supposed to be seen at the airport yesterday."

"We?" Serena repeated.

"The gentlemen outside are FBI," Blair chimed in, "Bart's been working with them."

"How's Lil?" Bart inquired.

"You need to call her," Serena stated, "Or better yet, go see her. She's your wife."

"I will," he assured her, "When the heat has died down, I will."

"I don't understand," Serena replied.

"I'm in protective custody," Bart replied, "There are people that would like to finish what they started. Now that it's out there that I'm alive, things have become more complicated."

"You're not leaving again, are you, Bart?" Blair's stomach dropped. She could only imagine how his disappearance would affect not only her husband, but also her son and everyone else that she cared about.

"Not if I can help it," Bart assured her, "The people responsible for the accident have been apprehended but there may be more associates out there wishing to finish what they started. Until the authorities are certain that my family and I are safe, I will be under their protection. If any of my family feels uncomfortable or in danger, they too can request federal protection."

"Like witness relocation?" Serena frowned in confusion.

"New identities will not be needed," Bart assured her.

"Probably good, because I'm not sure S would want to cover up two of her more famous assets," Blair snickered.

"You're just jealous," Serena rolled her eyes.

"More modest perhaps but thanks to motherhood, my bust line now rivals yours," Blair smirked.

"Just wait until it's my turn for parenthood," Serena threatened.

"On that note," Bart excused himself with a crimson blush to his cheeks.

"So where is Chuck?" Serena inquired, "Hiding from Daddy Dearest?"

"He had an emergency session with his therapist," Blair stated, "He wants to stay ahead of the emotions that he's feeling, so he doesn't get weighted down by everything going on."

"How responsible of him," Serena responded with surprise.

"Speaking of significant others, where's Nate?" Blair inquired.

"Vanderbilt business," Serena replied, "Granddaddy wants him to run for some political office."

Blair snorted in amusement, "Is he delusional?"

"There's clearly some disconnect," Serena nodded, "I love Nate, but he's not exactly what I would call political material. He wants me to relay the message to Chuck that he's there for him if he needs another set of ears to talk to."

"I'll be sure to give him the message," Blair replied, "Are you joining us for breakfast?"

"Breakfasting with Bart, I think I'm going to pass," Serena shook her head, "But if you need to talk you know where to find me. I should tell Mom about my encounter anyways. At least give her a heads up that the rumors are true."

As Serena was wrapping herself up to brave the elements, Chuck was returning home.

"Coming or going?" Chuck inquired of his sister.

"Going," Serena stated as she handed Chuck a few dollars. She always had a bit of petty cash on her when she visited the Bass household as her nephew was so skilled at picking up on her occasional crass remarks.

"Feeding Mister Piggy again," he chuckled.

"I'm going to single handedly put that little boy through college," she sighed.

"From the dark suits outside, I take it Bart's here, and you saw him," he concluded.

"Alive and in person," she nodded, "I still think I'm going to wake up and this will all be some strange dream. I can't even image what you must be going through."

"There is part of me that wants to tell him to go to hell and leave me alone, but then there's that little boy in me just can't do that," Chuck explained, "You aren't staying for breakfast?"

"As much as I love Rosa's Chilean Breakfast Burritos, I'm just not ready to sit down to a meal with him. I might as well hand over my entire trust fund to your son if I did. I wouldn't be able to censor myself," she explained.

"It is difficult," Chuck agreed.

"You okay?" she studied him carefully.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I'll be fine. I have three wonderful reasons to keep my sanity."

"Nate would have been here with me had the Vanderbilts not called with some fabricated emergency," Serena explained her boyfriend's absence.

"He texted me," Chuck nodded.

"If you need to talk…" she began to offer him.

"I'll talk to Blair or call Nathaniel," Chuck snorted, "No offense, Serena, but you're not who I'm going to turn to when I need a sympathetic ear."

"Fair enough," she shrugged, "But remember I dealt with something similar when my dad returned to New York after hiding out for many years. I know it's not the same as having your father return from the grave, but some of the feelings are the same."

"I suppose," he nodded.

"The offer stands," she assured him, "Now, I'd better go. Mom needs to know that Bart is indeed back."

"Give her a hug for me," Chuck requested, "And I'll call her by the end of the day."

"And get your father to do the same," she requested, "Mom needs to hear from him."

"I'll try," he nodded.

"We'll talk soon," Serena assured him as she trudged down the snowy steps to make the short walk from Blair and Chuck's home to her mother's building.

Chuck nodded to the two agents keeping guard outside his home before he passed them by and stepped into his home. His son toddled towards him as fast as his legs could carry him, calling out to him in excitement. He hit a wet spot on the floor as he got close and skidded towards his father, his little legs flying out from underneath him. Chuck's reflexes kicked in just before his son hit the floor and scooped him up into his arms.

"Careful, Luca," Chuck hugged him close, "You almost gave yourself an ouchie."

"Papa Bart is here," Luca told his father as he was returned to his feet so that Chuck could shed his coat and gloves.

"I see that," Chuck lifted him into his arms again as Bart stepped into his field of vision, "Back for a second day. I've seen you more in the past two days than I did in the last year of your life before your supposed death."

"I told you that I wanted to work on our relationship," Bart stated.

"Because you've realized that family is the most important thing," Chuck snorted, "Yet you still haven't called your wife."

"Lily's moved on," Bart shook his head, "She's remarried."

"She's worried," Chuck told him, "About you, me, and herself. She thinks she's still married to you. You at least owe it to her to come clean."

"I wasn't even gone a year when she married Rufus," Bart responded, his voice dripping with the pain he felt for how quickly his wife had moved on, "You told me yourself the night of that accident that I needed to hurry home because she intended to divorce me."

"But you could have fixed things. She's wasn't so upset with you that a healthy dose of Bass charm couldn't have smoothed things over," Chuck insisted.

"Daddy grumpy," Luca chimed in. He didn't like his father's tone.

"Yes, I am," Chuck kissed the boy's forehead as he turned his attention towards his son, "I'm sorry, Buddy. Did you finish your breakfast?"

"Yep," Luca nodded, "I good boy."

"Yes, you are," Chuck agreed, "Let's go see if Mommy needs help with your sister."

"Li-Li with her," Luca stated as they returned to the dining room where Evie was spitting up more of her breakfast than she was eating. Chuck could see Blair's frustration. As soon as Evie saw Chuck, she reached towards him, wanting to be rescued from the chair she didn't like.

"Not until you eat your breakfast, Little Girl," Blair told her daughter who began squirming in her chair.

"Eat up, Princess," Chuck encouraged his daughter as he took the spoon from Blair and spooned in a bite of breakfast into her mouth. At his urging, the puree went right down.

"Why does she always eat for you, but only sometimes for me?" Blair traded places with him as she claimed Luca, who was always happy to cuddle with his mother.

Chuck shrugged as he fed Evie another bite.

"What do you want to do today, Luca?" Blair inquired as his head came to rest against her shoulder.

"Zoo," Luca stated.

"It's too cold for the zoo, Peanut," Blair told him, "How about the Museum of Natural History? They have animals there."

"Okay," he nodded slightly, "Can Papa come?"

"If Papa wants," Blair nodded, "Would you want to join us, Bart?"

"Absolutely," Bart smiled at the offer.

"Splendid, but everyone gets naps first," she told her son.

"Not tired," he burrowed his head into her shoulder like he always did when he was tired.

"Yes, you are," she smirked.

"Papa lay me down?" Luca asked.

"Sure," Blair nodded as Luca reached for Bart, "Do you need help finding Luca's room, Bart?"

"I think I can remember where it is," Bart assured her.

Once Bart left the dining room, Blair spoke to her nanny, "Li-Li, I think we'll have enough eyes to watch our children today. Why don't you take the day off?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Bass," the woman smiled, "There is a sale at Bendels that I have been dying to take advantage of."

"If there's anything good, let me know," Blair chuckled, "Serena's been hinting about having a shopping day soon."

"I will," Li-Li nodded as she kissed the top of Evie's head, "Behave for Mommy and Daddy today."

Chuck coached Evie to wave at Li-Li as she left.

"Are you sure taking Evie to the museum is a good idea?" Chuck inquired once they were alone, "Luca didn't appreciate it the first time we took him."

"She'll likely sleep through most of it anyways," Blair waved off his concern.

"And if she screams her displeasure?" Chuck inquired, "Are you trying to scare Bart off?"

"She hardly says a peep as it is," Blair pointed out, "And I'm wagering that it's going to take a lot more than a screaming infant to chase him away. He seems pretty attached to Luca and vice versa."

"I've been told that whenever I threw a tantrum growing up Bart disappeared," Chuck responded.

"Who was around you enough to notice something like that?" Blair prodded him.

"Anne," Chuck stated.

"Well, Evie is going to be a well behaved little princess, so this discussion is pointless," Blair shrugged off his concern.

"And if she's not?" he prompted.

"One of us will take her home," Blair stated.

"I volunteer myself," Chuck's hand shot up like a rocket.

"No," Blair shook off his offer as she slapped his shoulder in scolding, "You need to spend time reestablishing a relationship with your father."

"You mean establish a relationship," he corrected her, "I'm not sure I ever truly had one with him to start with."

"Then it's time to start one," Blair ran her fingers through his hair before she began massaging his shoulders, "If you do, I'll give you a special reward."

"Offering me a bribe, Mrs. Bass?" he smirked.

"Only if it works," she whispered in his ear.

"Always with you," he groaned as her hot breath filled his ear. They may have two children and not a lot of free time, but they always found a way to make time for each other. Blair liked to joke that the reason they hired a nanny was for that specific reason.

"Luca is sound asleep," Bart announced himself. Blair jumped in surprise, her face startled like some teenager being caught making out with her boyfriend. Bart chuckled at her expression, "I'm sorry for startling you. Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all," Blair recovered quickly as she lifted Evie from her high chair, "I need to get our messy little girl cleaned up for our outing at the museum."

Blair left the room and silence reined as Chuck reached out to pour himself a cup of coffee. He wasn't going to be the one to start any conversation.

"Blair said that you had business this morning," Bart finally broke through, "I heard that you sold your hotel. What is your latest business venture?"

"Nothing at the moment," Chuck shook his head, "Parenthood has been my main focus."

"But this morning?" Bart looked to him in confusion.

"I went to see my therapist," Chuck responded.

"I'm assuming that I was the subject of conversation," Bart concluded.

"You did just come back and shake up my entire world," Chuck pointed out, "It's a bit unsettling for me. I'm determined to stay ahead of my feelings. I'm determined to be a better father."

"I'd like to get educated on your disease," Bart requested.

"I'm sure Blair saved a pamphlet you could read," Chuck responded dryly.

"I'd rather learn from you," Bart replied.

"Trying to self diagnosis?" Chuck inquired, "The disease can be genetic. I'd be willing to bet it comes from your side of the cesspool, I mean gene pool."

"To the best of my knowledge there is no mental disorders on my side of the family," Bart responded, "But my family has never been very open."

"Sounds familiar," Chuck snorted.

"Chuck, I would like to learn more," Bart reiterated, "I would like to know how I can help you."

"Build a time machine and change the last twenty plus years of my life so that I didn't have such a miserable childhood," Chuck responded.

"No one has more regrets about how I handled your upbringing than I do," Bart replied.

"Want to bet," Chuck challenged him.

"I'd like to attend a therapy session," Bart stated.

"Not going to happen," Chuck shook his head from side to side, "Blair can count on one hand the times I've let her into my sessions, and I trust her with my life. What makes you think I would ever allow you in?"

"Because we have unresolved issues that if ever resolved could help you find lasting peace," Bart replied.

"Bart's right," Blair reappeared in the dining room with their freshly dressed daughter, in a violet dress that just so happened to match the tie Chuck was wearing for the day with a frilly lace headband to complete the look.

"Don't you look pretty, Evie," Chuck smiled as he took his daughter into his arms, "And you just so happen to be wearing Daddy's favorite color. I bet you picked this out all by yourself."

Evie responded with a sweet little laugh as she grabbed ahold of her father's jacket lapel and tugged.

"Chuck, your father's right," Blair was determined not to let the conversation drop, "You said you would do whatever it takes to stay ahead of your disease. Don't do this for Bart. Do this for Evie and Luca and me. Do it for yourself."

"I'm not ready," Chuck shook his head.

"However long it takes," Bart chimed in, "I will be waiting."

Chuck nodded as he pecked at Evie's cheek, drawing a smile and laugh from the adorable infant.

**TBC…**

**Fear not, I will not make you wait as long for Chapter 4. I'm hoping to get out a chapter a week, so stay tuned.**

**Big thanks for my beta for all her help and encouragement, and to those of you that have alerted, favorited and reviewed so far.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

When Luca woke up from his nap, everyone bundled up to brave the falling snow to enjoy their outing at the museum. Luca was so excited to see the animals that he could barely stand still long enough to have his coat zipped and his mittens put on.

In the museum, Luca pulled Bart along from one exhibit to the next. Blair and Chuck strolled behind, appearing mostly to be an afterthought to their son as he barely acknowledged him. As they strolled along, there were gasps of surprise as Bart was recognized by several of the patrons, but they were mostly left alone.

Evie was oblivious to her surroundings as she drifted in and out all afternoon, but the outing appeared to be a success as Luca conked out on Bart's shoulder as they drove home. Chuck could hardly look at the pair together. He couldn't help being angry that his father felt more comfortable holding his son than he'd likely ever been holding him.

Blair stroked his hair to soothe him, appearing to be able to read her husband's thoughts.

Arriving back at the manor, Bart offered to take Luca up to his bedroom. Rosa came into the entryway to claim Evie, whispering a Chilean fairytale to their daughter as she went. Blair and Chuck headed towards his private study to talk.

"You don't have to say it," Chuck stated as Blair rubbed his shoulder. She could feel him gravitating towards the wet bar and needed to distract him.

"Say what?" Blair inquired as she steered him instead towards the leather sofa so she could massage his shoulders properly.

"He's trying," Chuck sighed, "He's making the effort to be a better grandfather to his grandson than he was a father to me."

"But," she prompted him.

"Couldn't he also try being a better father to his son?" Chuck added.

"It's easier with Luca," Blair found a particularly stubborn knot in his shoulder, "He hasn't been disappointed for more than twenty years. Bart's walking on egg shells around you. He doesn't know what to say. He's worried he's going to set you off and be kicked out of your home and life."

"He wants to go to one of my therapy sessions," Chuck replied.

"I know. I think that would be a good idea," Blair offered her opinion without being asked.

"I think it's quite possibly the worst idea in the history of mankind," Chuck snorted.

"I think you're being a little melodramatic," Blair replied, "The few times I've been in your sessions have been eye opening. It's helped me understand you and this illness better. It's no secret that a lot of your issues come from your father's neglect. It would be good for you to air some of your feelings in a safe and controlled environment."

"You may be right," he sighed.

"And I know how much that irritates you," she chuckled softly.

"In this instance, yes," he agreed.

"If you want an extra level of support, I could come too," she offered.

"Maybe," he nodded, "I have a week to think it over."

"I thought your therapist had cut back on your sessions because you were doing so well," she replied.

"Because of Bart's return, he wants to ramp it up for awhile to stay ahead of the game," he explained.

"Smart," she replied, "And Chuck, I have an idea that I want to run by you. I don't think you're going to be receptive right away, but I still want you to give it some thought."

"What's this idea?" he inquired. He had a pretty good idea where her thoughts were leading. He knew he wasn't going to be happy about it, but he knew her heart was in the right place.

"I think we should ask Bart to stay with us for awhile…at least until he gets his affairs in order," she stated, "I don't like that he goes to an empty hotel room night after night."

"It's been two nights," Chuck pointed out.

"Here in New York City," she agreed, "But he's been away from New York for several years, away from his family, away from his life. We know how hard life was without him here for six years. We have no idea what it was like for him. He didn't have anyone with him."

"I'll give it some thought," he assured her.

"Good," she replied as the doorbell interrupted their private chat.

"Who could that be?" Chuck inquired as he rose from his chair to go to the door knowing that Rosa was likely still tending to Evie as she was as enchanted by his daughter as everyone else.

Blair followed Chuck to the door, "Lily!"

"Is Bart here?" Lily hissed. There was venom in her voice that was so unlike the woman that Chuck and Blair had known most of their life. "Serena said she saw him here."

"He's here," Chuck confirmed.

"I want to see that bastard," she growled.

"He's putting Luca down for his nap," Blair replied, "I'll go get him."

"The nerve of that man coming back into our life and not having the decency to call his wife," Lily continued to display her anger as Blair went to retrieve her father-in-law.

"I know how angry you must be," Chuck replied.

"No, you really have no idea how angry I am," she growled, "I don't even know how angry I am."

"He does have a valid reason for why he's been gone," Chuck offered.

"Don't make excuses for that man," she scowled at him.

Chuck knew she was ready to blow. He certainly didn't want to be the target of her rage, so he kept any further comments to himself.

Bart slowly approached the entryway.

Lily gasped as her eyes locked with his. Until that moment, she wasn't sure she believed he was alive. So many emotions flowed through her. So much anger, so much rage, but then that was replaced by relief and longing. She surprised everyone when she rushed into his arms, tears flowing as she was engulfed in his embrace.

Blair pulled Chuck out of the room to allow Lily and Bart some privacy.

"I'm sorry, Lil," Bart whispered as he held her close, "I'm so sorry."

"How is this possible?" she asked as her head came to rest against his chest, allowing her to hear the steady beating of his heart, "What about the accident?"

"It was real," Bart told her, "And I was severely wounded as a result."

"Why did you have to fake your own death? Why did you have to keep it from your son and wife?"

"I wanted to tell you, Lily," he held her, "I've wanted to tell you everyday since I left, but I wanted…needed to protect you. The accident wasn't just an accident. I was targeted because of something I knew and was trying to expose."

"You're talking riddles," Lily pulled away abruptly, "Give me a straight answer."

"You know that Jack was caught up in an embezzlement scam," Bart began, "I learned about it far sooner than anyone else when Jack targeted the wrong people, people that didn't take kindly to being swindled out of large sums of money. They erroneously thought that I was involved in the scheme, and that I was as responsible as Jack for paying them back. I went to the authorities to put an end to things, but that made me a target and, by extension, made you and Chuck targets.

"It was always the plan for me to go into protective custody, but you and Chuck were supposed to be told. When the accident happened, it became clear that just being alive was hazardous to the health of my family. I couldn't bear the thought of them targeting you or Charles or Serena or Eric. With me out of the way, I was convinced that they would move back to targeting Jack, which was true."

"You should have told me," Lily's eyes once again filled with tears.

"I figured it was easier for you not to know," Bart replied, "It was easier for you to be a widow free to marry again than in the middle of another scandalous divorce to a man that just up and disappeared."

"How dare you!" she spewed her venom.

"You had every intention of divorcing me before the accident," Bart held firm as the ice entered his veins, "There wasn't a thing I could have done or said to convince you otherwise. I was honestly surprised that you even married me, especially after spending the night before our wedding in bed with your former lover."

Lily reflexively slapped him across the face.

"You sleep with another man the night before our wedding, and I'm the one that gets slapped," Bart ran his hand along his jaw, "What was it that made you go through with the wedding in the first place? Was it my bank account or the prestige of being Mrs. Bart Bass?"

"How dare you!" she hissed.

"How dare I?" he scoffed, "How dare _you_."

"If you knew about my affair with Rufus, why go through with the wedding to me in the first place?" she challenged him.

"I didn't know about the affair until many months after my accident and supposed death," Bart replied, the bitterness entering his voice, "Until then I was delusional enough to believe that you actually loved me."

"You can't honestly tell me that you loved me," she snapped, "I had no hope of penetrating that frozen heart of yours. There was simply no room for me. You've only ever had room for Evelyn."

"You were as close to penetrating as any woman ever has or possibly ever will," Bart responded evenly, "I'm not looking to complicate your life. Our union was dissolved. We are no longer man and wife. You are legally married to Rufus. We'll come to some sort of agreement regarding the money, but you are no longer bound to me in any other way."

"We're still bound together through Charles," Lily insisted, "Unless those adoption papers were invalid as well."

"You legally adopted him," Bart assured her, "So I suppose for better or worse, we are bound to each other through him, but it doesn't appear that he truly needs either of us anymore. He's certainly done better than I ever could have hoped. He has a family of his own now, and little need for either of us."

"Parenthood doesn't end when your child turns eighteen. Parenthood never ends, and I assure you that he still needs us very much," Lily replied, "And now not only are we parents, we're grandparents. Luca and Evie are such charmers."

"As I'm learning first hand," Bart smiled for the first time in her presence since his return, "We took Evie and Luca to the museum today. Luca is so full of energy and life. He looks so much like Charles at that age."

"Just remember that as adorable as that little boy is, establishing a relationship with your son should be your priority," Lily advised him.

"It's hard with Charles," Bart admitted, "With Luca its so easy. He doesn't expect anything. He's just happy to see me. He calls me Papa and lets me read him stories. He likes hugs and falls asleep on my shoulder."

"As much as you probably don't want to hear this, you already know more about your grandson that you do about your son," Lily replied, "Yes, it's more complicated with Charles because he is more complex. Luca's entire world is full of love and hugs and fairytales. That's not the world Charles was raised in. It's going to take time, but I promise he's worth it."

"Of course," Bart nodded.

"He's worth putting aside all the anger I have for you," Lily added, "We will figure out a way to co-exist in his world, and perhaps find a way to help him heal."

"Maybe I can even heal myself," Bart thought out loud without meaning to.

"Maybe," Lily nodded.

A silence engulfed the room.

"I should be going," Lily stated, "I just had to see for myself that you were really here."

"I'm sure your husband is waiting for you," Bart nodded with only a hint of betrayal in his voice.

"No matter what the complication could have been, I am grateful that you are alive and back in our lives," Lily hugged him once more. Bart held on a little longer than he knew he should. "Tell Blair and Charles I'll return soon to see the children."

"I will," Bart nodded as he guided her to the door.

Lily kissed his cheek before leaving.

"Lily left so soon?" Chuck returned to the entryway just as Bart was closing the door, "I thought the Bass charm worked better than that."

"She's not my wife anymore, Chuck," Bart replied, "She said she'd be back soon to see the children, and I should be leaving as well."

"You're staying for dinner, aren't you?" Chuck asked, "Luca would be so upset to wake up and find his papa gone."

"We certainly don't want that, do we?" Bart smirked.

"Do you play chess?" Chuck inquired.

Bart was taken aback by the question. "I do actually," he nodded.

"How about a game?" Chuck offered, "Blair's never really had the patience for it. The pieces usually end up on the floor after an hour or so."

"Absolutely," Bart nodded as he followed Chuck into his study where the board was already set up.

* * *

Blair strolled into Chuck's study a little later to find father and son playing chess. "Finally found a worthy opponent, I see. Thank goodness. Bart, I'm hopeless at chess. Chuck always made it appear that I was better than I actually was, letting me win most games, but I know how much Chuck enjoys a real challenge."

"Are the children still asleep?" Chuck inquired as he turned to kiss her before refocusing on the game.

"Luca's awake and working on that wooden train puzzle that S gave him for Christmas," Blair replied, "Evie's starting to wake, which means she's hungry. Rosa is getting dinner ready, so find a good place to stop and join us in the dining room. I'm going to bring the children down."

"We'll be right there," Chuck assured her.

"If you're not there in ten minutes, I'm sending Luca in after you," she cautioned him.

"That's supposed to be a threat?" he chuckled as she took a few moments to massage his shoulders.

She gave him a quick hug and a kiss to his cheek before she set off to retrieve the children as Chuck and Bart continued with their game.

"Daddy!" Luca darted into his father's office a few minutes later and leapt into Chuck's lap and tossed his arms around Chuck, squeezing tight. Chuck couldn't put into words how much it meant to him that his son had run to him and not his father. "Tummy hungry," Luca informed him as he patted his belly, "Goes grrrr."

"We'd better feed you then," Chuck laughed as he pecked at his son's cheek before lowered him to his feet.

"Come, Daddy," Luca pulled on his hand to get him to follow.

Bart and Chuck followed Luca into the dining room where Blair was wrestling to get Evie buckled securely into her high chair. Luca tried his best to climb into his own booster seat without much success. Chuck lifted him effortlessly as Luca squealed with delight at the ride his father was taking him on.

Once the children were secure, Rosa began bringing out their meal, the children being served first, peas for Evie, and spaghetti for Luca.

"Don't want," Luca shoved his meal away with a pout.

"You like spaghetti," Chuck reminded his son as he pushed it in front of him again.

"No pasghetti," Luca pushed it again, nearly pushing it to the floor to make his point.

"Eat," Chuck held firm as he gave his son his stern yet gentle look. Luca's eyes filled with tears at the thought that he'd displeased his father. Chuck picked up a noodle from Luca's plate and popped it in his own mouth. "It's yummy, Luca. Try it."

Luca mimicked his father and popped in a noodle of his own, continuing on with his meal without protest as he clearly remembered that he did indeed like spaghetti.

"You always get the easy job," Blair observed as she tried and failed to get the spoon into Evie's mouth as the infant's lips were pressed tight together.

"She looks tired," Chuck observed as Evie rubbed at her eyes as her lips stayed tightly clinched.

"Tired and hungry is a disastrous combination," Blair replied as she attempted again to feed their stubborn daughter to no avail.

"Stubborn like her mother," Chuck observed with a smirk.

"Nope, this is the Bass in her coming out," Blair shook her head as she tried again to push the spoon past the girl's lips, "Come on, Evie. The sooner you eat your peas the sooner you can go to sleep."

Bart was left to marvel at what looked to be a typical evening in the Bass household. It was like taking a step back in time to a typical 50's sitcom. There was a normalcy about the scene that surprised him. He'd never seen his son as one to enjoy such domestic bliss, but the serene smile on Chuck's face told him otherwise.

"Bart, did you want to try feeding her?" Blair offered Bart the spoon, "Sometimes she responds better to men feeding her. Isn't that right, Peanut, even Uncle Nate is successful sometimes."

Evie giggled as Blair tickled under her chin. Whether it was her mother's sweet assault or her grandfather's urging, Evie's mouth opened and the spoon slipped in. Bart gave his granddaughter a triumphant smile as he slipped in another spoonful.

With dinner accomplished, Bart, Chuck and Luca returned to Chuck's study to finish up the chess game. With Luca's input, it took only a few more moves on the part of his daddy to emerge victorious.

"Teaching him early, I see," Bart smirked as Luca cheered his father's victory.

"I need someone to play against," Chuck tickled Luca's stomach.

"You've built a good life for yourself," Bart told him.

"It took more than me," Chuck replied as Luca snuggled in against his father. It was nearly bedtime, and he was starting to get sleepy as his thumb went into his mouth and his head rested against Chuck's chest, "But I'm finally where I want to be in life. Everything else will be sorted out in time. We're wrapped up in our family right now, but I'm sure when these little ones get a little older we'll want to figure out careers."

"Read Daddy," Luca muttered with his thumb still in his mouth.

"You want me to read to you tonight and not Papa?" Chuck inquired.

Luca nodded slightly as he continued to suck on his thumb.

"I'll be back down in a little while," Chuck told his father, "Will you still be here?"

Bart nodded as he scanned the many shelves lined with books, "Perhaps I'll search through your rather extensive collection."

"I'll be back," Chuck replied as he carried Luca upstairs and put him through his usual bedtime routine.

"Daddy, I like Papa Bart," Luca told his father as he made himself comfortable in Chuck's lap as they sat together on the lounge.

"He likes you too," Chuck stroked his hair.

"Can he stay forever and ever?" Luca asked.

"We'll have to wait and see," Chuck told him.

"He leave like Papa Harold and Papa Roman?" Luca pressed.

"It's hard to explain, Luca," Chuck replied, "He's here now. Let's enjoy that. Okay?"

"Okay," Luca nodded, "If I good boy, he stay?"

"You're always a good boy," Chuck assured him, "Papa Bart is going to stay as long as he can."

Luca nodded again as his attention drifted to the book in his father's hand. He lost himself in the adventure of the book, but Chuck's attention was focused more on the words Luca spoke that rang in his head. The words struck a cord with him as those were the same feelings Chuck had dealt with most of his life. He'd always felt that if he could have been a better son that Bart would have been around him more growing up, but now he wondered if that would have been true.

"She's asleep," Chuck marveled as he found Blair and Evie curled up together in the rocking chair in Evie's bedroom.

"Out like a light," Blair nodded slightly, "Luca?"

"Also asleep," Chuck confirmed.

"Did your father leave for the evening?"

"He's still in the study," Chuck replied, "I told him I'd be down after Luca was asleep."

"Who won the chess match?" Blair inquired.

"Luca," he chuckled, "I think Bart took it easy on us when Luca joined in. We only needed a few more moves to check his queen."

"Have you thought any more about what we discussed earlier?" Blair asked as she rose from the chair and laid Evie down in her crib.

"I'm going to make the offer," Chuck nodded, "It might do us all a world of good. Luca and Evie will get to know and be comfortable with their grandfather. Bart and I can get to know each other as adults, and he can see the gift that you've given me these past few years."

"Which gift?" Blair inquired.

"The gift of a family," he elaborated.

"I'm proud of you," she turned and hugged him tight.

"For inviting my father to stay with us?" he inquired.

"For opening yourself up to him," Blair replied, "For making yourself vulnerable."

"He may turn the offer down," Chuck pointed out.

"He might," she nodded slightly as she caressed his face, "But either way you're letting him in. That's a big step…a good step."

"For my children," Chuck replied, "It's true what they say about wanting to be a better person when you become a parent. I don't know that I'd have reacted the same way had Bart come back two years ago."

"Maybe two and a half," Blair amended, "Before we found out we were having Luca."

"Two and a half," he agreed.

"Go," Blair nudged him, "I want to make sure that Evie and Luca are down for the night. I'll be down soon."

Chuck nodded as he kissed her lips before exiting his daughter's bedroom.

* * *

"Asleep so soon?" Bart inquired as Chuck reentered his study. Bart was only a few chapters into the book he'd selected.

"Both are out," Chuck confirmed, "You've made quite the impression on Luca."

"He's made a bigger impression on me," Bart replied, "He's a charming little boy."

"I don't know how to say this delicately, so I'm just going to say it," Chuck blurted out, "If you're going to disappear again, please don't spend so much time with him. I don't want him becoming too attached. It's already hard to explain to him why Papa Harold and Papa Roman leave him so often."

"I'm not leaving," Bart insisted, "Not any time soon, not if I can help it."

"Then I have an offer to make to you, from both Blair and myself," Chuck replied after taking a deep breath, "Blair and I would like you to stay with us until you have your affairs in order and find a more permanent residence."

"You want me to live with you," Bart's voice spoke to his surprise.

"Temporarily," Chuck nodded, "A lot has changed in both of our lives. It might be good for us to spend time together, for Luca and Evie to get to know their grandfather, for you to see what it's like to be a part of a family."

"I wouldn't want to impose," Bart shook his head.

"How could you impose?" Chuck inquired, "Look around. Blair and I have a rather large home. You could have your own wing if you desired."

"Was this your idea or Blair's?" Bart asked.

"Blair's," Chuck admitted.

"And I'm sure you're delivering the message reluctantly," Bart grumbled.

"I'm offering," Chuck replied as his anger started to get the better of him, "Blair gave me the option not to. If you don't want to stay with us, that is fine, but don't use any imagined reluctance as an excuse. Just say you don't want to and leave it at that."

"That's not it," Bart stammered out, "I just don't want to be an obligation. You certainly don't owe me anything."

"This can't be easy, can it?" Chuck sighed.

"No, I guess it can't," Bart agreed, "I'll give the offer some thought and have an answer for you tomorrow."

"Should we expect you for breakfast?" Chuck inquired as he walked Bart to the entryway.

"Are all of Rosa's breakfasts that tasty?"

"Blair and I haven't found a dish yet that we didn't like," Chuck smirked.

"I'll be back first thing," Bart confirmed as he wrapped himself up to brave the elements.

"And tell those poor agents that they don't have to stand out in the cold all day," Chuck added, "They can keep guard inside the house, can't they?"

"I'll mention it to them," Bart nodded.

There was another awkward hug and then Bart was gone. Blair made her way down the stairs just in time to see Chuck closing the door.

"Did Bart leave already?" Blair inquired as she stepped into his awaiting arms.

Chuck nodded in confirmation as he wrapped her up tight in his arms.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she relaxed into his embrace.

"Better now," he replied as he held her a little tighter.

"Did you ask him?" Blair inquired.

"I did, and he's going to think it over," Chuck nodded.

"I'll have Rosa make up one of the guest rooms tomorrow in anticipation," Blair smiled, "There is no way Bart is going to turn us down."

"As much as you think the ice around his heart has melted, I'm not so sure," Chuck shook his head slightly, "It's going to take more than a couple of days with his gorgeous grandchildren to defrost it."

"Maybe he needs his son to provide a space heater to thaw it out faster," she suggested.

"Maybe his son's wife needs to provide a bit of warming of her husband first," he smirked.

"There's the man I married," she laughed.

"Both children are asleep. The house is empty. Any ideas?"

"So many," she replied, "They all involve you and me, our bed, and zero clothes. We should take advantage of the quiet. It doesn't happen often."

"Race you upstairs?"

"Try and catch me," she dropped her arms and darted up the stairs.

Rather than following her up the stairs, he went around and made sure the house was secure as was his normal routine before he made his way up to the bedroom to be seduced by his wife.

**TBC…**

**I hope you all continue to enjoy this story as it continues on. I know I've enjoyed writing it.**

**Big thanks to my beta, Lori, for all she does.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Daddy, read," Luca tore into the dining room at breakfast with a book in his hand. He was dressed in the denim overalls his mother loved on him so much and his hair was brushed neatly. He'd obviously been dressed by Blair before making his way downstairs.

"Someone is full of energy this morning," Chuck lifted his son into his lap.

"Read," Luca repeated as he situated himself in his father's lap and attempted to open the picture book he'd brought with him.

"How about we eat breakfast first?" Chuck suggested.

"No," Luca responded shortly, "Read first."

"How do I turn down that pout?" Chuck tapped at the protruding bottom lip of his son, "Where's Mommy?"

"Read," Luca insisted as he shook the book to draw his father's focus.

Chuck went through the book with his son several times before the doorbell interrupted them.

"Papa Bart," Luca's eyes went wide in excitement as he slid from his father's lap and ran towards the front door. Chuck was fortunate to catch him trying to open the door. Luca was just short enough that the task was impossible, which Chuck saw as a blessing. He began jumping in frustration as he tried to latch onto the handle and make it turn. He was hanging from the knob when Chuck pried him from the door and opened it for him. Bart was waiting patiently with bags in his hand. Luca's arms were around his grandfather's legs instantly.

"Hello, Luca," Bart chuckled as he set down his bags and lifted the excited boy into his arms.

"Hi," Luca responded, slightly out of breath from his burst of energy.

"I see you've made your decision," Chuck took note of the bags at his father's feet.

"Only if the offer still stands," Bart replied.

"It does," Chuck assured him as he took the bags and handed them to Rosa, who had materialized in the perfect moment like always, "Rosa, please make up one of the guest rooms on the second floor. My father will be staying with us for awhile."

"Yes, Mister Chuck," Rosa nodded as she carried both bags up the stairs to start on her newest task.

"My security team is going to need to do a more thorough sweep of the house and install some surveillance equipment," Bart stated, "If you don't mind."

"Let them have at it," Chuck replied, "Blair and I have nothing to hide."

Several members of Bart's security team filed in and fanned out.

"Are we going to treated to round the clock security now?" Chuck inquired.

"If that's a problem, I'll understand. I'm sure I could get my room back at the hotel without too much trouble," Bart stammered out.

"It's alright," Chuck assured him, "I expected as much."

"Daddy read me Doctor Sus," Luca informed his grandfather.

"Doctor Seuss," Chuck corrected him.

"I want green eggs, Daddy," Luca requested.

"Then we'll need to ask Rosa when she comes down to try making you some," Chuck replied.

"Can I stay with you for awhile, Luca?" Bart asked as he tickled his stomach.

"Yes," Luca nodded, "In my room."

"The guest room," Chuck corrected him.

"My room," Luca pouted.

Chuck gave him his gentle, yet stern glare, which silenced all further debate.

"Good morning, Bart," Blair greeted her father-in-law as she came down the stairs with Evie to see the trio of men.

"Morning, Blair," he smiled as he leaned in to greet her with a kiss to her cheek, "And how is my beautiful granddaughter this morning?"

"A little grumpy," Blair replied as Chuck took her out of Blair's arms, "She hasn't been sleeping well the past few nights, and because of it, neither has Chuck."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Bart replied as he gave his son a sympathetic look. Now that he looked at him, there were bags under his son's eyes.

"It's all part of having a new baby in the house," Chuck replied as he kissed Evie's forehead, "She's worth it."

Just as they were entering the dining room for breakfast, one member of the security team appeared and startled Blair.

"I forgot to mention that Bart has accepted our offer to move in," Chuck explained the mystery man's presence, "There doing a more thorough security sweep, and they'll also be installing security cameras and keeping watch around the clock."

"Are we in any danger?" Blair inquired of Bart.

"No," Bart shook his head, "Not that we're aware of, but the authorities are taking precautions."

"Well, we're happy to have you here," Blair smiled as she took her chair and helped herself to some tea and pastries.

"Please tell me if I'm overstaying my welcome," Bart requested as he turned his attention to his grandson, "So, Luca, what should we do today?"

"Zoo," he exclaimed.

"It's still too cold, Sweetie," Blair told him.

"Zoo," he stuck out his lip to pout.

"You're so cute," Blair leaned over to tap his lip, "But that's not going to work with me."

Luca turned towards his grandfather and repeated "zoo" with the same pout he'd given his mother.

"Luca," both Blair and Chuck scolded their son in unison. Luca's pout increased as he picked at his breakfast, having forgot all about the green eggs he'd requested earlier.

* * *

"What's wrong, Little Evie?" Bart inquired as he found father and daughter moving about the room in the very late hours of the evening. Evie was crying her lungs out.

"She's tired," Chuck stated as he continued to rock her back and forth, refusing to keep still.

"Then she should close her eyes and fall asleep," Bart concluded.

"She will," Chuck assured him, "When she's ready."

"Maybe she needs to be changed," Bart suggested.

"She's as fresh as a daisy," Chuck responded.

"Maybe she's hungry," Bart offered.

"She's not," Chuck shook off the suggestion.

"But she's crying. Something has to be wrong," Bart insisted.

"Babies cry, Bart," Chuck responded calmly, "Sometimes for no reason. I'm sorry if we woke you."

"That's not it," Bart shook his head, "Are you sure she's okay? Maybe she has a cold."

"She's fine," Chuck stated, "She just wants to cry."

"That can't be healthy," Bart added as he felt his ears beginning to ring, "How do you stand listening to it?"

"You get used to it," Chuck replied as he continued to sway back and forth, "You can go back to bed. I'll close Evie's door. The room is soundproof. You won't hear us."

"I'll stay," Bart shook his head.

"This isn't some test of your grandfathering ability," Chuck stated, "Lily runs when she hears it. I'll think no less of you."

"I'll stay," Bart repeated as he offered to take Evie.

"It's okay, Bart," Chuck resisted his efforts.

"Let me try," Bart insisted, "For once in my life, let me try."

Chuck transferred Evie into his father's arms and waited for when Bart would pass her back. Evie's vocal outbursts challenged even the most patient of people.

Bart pranced around, trying to mimic what he'd seen his son do as he tried to get comfortable with the crying infant.

"When Luca was first born, whenever he was in my arms, he was screaming. It was hard. I wanted to be a part of his life, but it felt as if he could have cared less if I was around or not. Blair forced me into holding him and then disappeared when I wanted to hand him back. That was when I found a way to be the comfort that he needed from me. Sometimes he just wanted to cry, and I had to find a way to be okay with that. For the longest time I thought that meant I wasn't an adequate father, but then I realized his tears had nothing to do with my abilities as a parent," Chuck explained as he caressed the back of Evie's head, "Sometimes babies just want to cry and still have the comfort of their father's arms."

"I was a horrible father," Bart stated as Evie's cries began to decrease in volume.

"Yes, you were," Chuck agreed, "But I know you're trying now. You get credit for that."

"You're a better man than I could have ever hoped to be," Bart stated.

Chuck didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. He did notice that Evie's cries were quieting down. "Sometimes being in Papa's arms works too."

"She's so cuddly and warm," Bart marveled, "I was a fool for running away from you when you needed me."

"Are you waiting for me to disagree with you?" Chuck asked, "Because it isn't going to happen."

"I think she's falling asleep," Bart shifted his attention to his granddaughter. The cries had stopped completely and her eyes were closed.

"I'll put her down," Chuck gingerly lifted Evie into his arms. He held her for a few minutes to make sure that she truly was asleep before he lowered her into her crib.

"I want to help you, Chuck," Bart told him, "I want to do what I can to help you get better."

"I'm not broken, Bart," Chuck told him as he reached into the crib to caress Evie's hand as she slept peacefully.

"No, you're not," Bart agreed, "But this illness that you have…"

"You can't wave a wand and make it go away," Chuck replied, "It's something that I'm having to find a way to live with, and I've been doing alright for over two years now. It's an adjustment, and I do have bad days. I get through them. I have two wonderful children and a beautiful wife that I love more than I could ever say. I will do anything for them."

"Chuck, I'm trying to be the father that you've needed all your life," Bart stated as his hand went to his son's shoulder, "Let me help you for the first time in our lives."

"I'll consider it," Chuck replied, "Until I decide, let's use this second chance to get to know each other."

Bart nodded.

"We'd better let the princess sleep," Chuck stated as he reached out to turn on Evie's monitor so he could hear it in his bedroom.

"Do you think Blair would mind if you and I went out for lunch tomorrow, just the two of us?" Bart asked as Chuck pulled the door to Evie's bedroom closed.

"I'll check with Blair to make sure she doesn't already have something planned," Chuck replied.

"Sleep well, Son," Bart stated as he went down the stairs to his bedroom as Chuck entered his room.

"Evie go down finally?" Blair mumbled as she rolled into Chuck as he climbed into bed.

"Bart actually managed to get her down," Chuck confirmed as he wrapped her up in his arms as he kissed her forehead.

"Papa Bart strikes again," she mused.

"You and Serena are going shopping tomorrow, aren't you?" Chuck inquired as he held his wife close as she began to drift off again.

She shook her head slightly to indicate that she wasn't. Even on the verge of sleep she could hear the hopefulness in his question, which was odd. "Nate's taking her to Mexico to avoid the paparazzi outside their building. He told you he was leaving, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did," Chuck sighed as he recalled the brief conversation he'd had with his best friend earlier that day.

"You and your mother?" he asked hopefully.

"No shopping outings planned," she shook her head again as she was nearly asleep again, "I'm all yours tomorrow."

"Great," he muttered.

Blair's eyes popped open. "What was that?" she hissed, "Do you not want me here?"

"No, no, no, no," he responded quickly, "That's not what I'm saying at all. It's just that Bart thinks we should have lunch tomorrow, just the two of us, and I want a reason to tell him no. Having to tend to both children would be the best reason I could think of."

"You need to spend time with your father," she told him, "Whether I was busy tomorrow or not, you're having lunch with him."

"Blair, it's not a good idea," he insisted, "We have nothing to talk about."

"You have everything to talk about," she snapped at him, "You were so desperate to have a parent that you latched on to that imposter Jack sent your way and then gave her your precious hotel to look after. We all know how well that worked out. Your father is here...your flesh and blood father. He isn't an imposter, and he's trying so hard to be a part of your life for the very first time. You owe it to that lonely, little boy that you were to see this through."

"What if he gets to know me and decides that he was better off before he knew me?" Chuck vocalized the thought he'd been having since his father first came back.

"That could never be true," she caressed his face tenderly, "You're an amazing man, Chuck, and when your father gets to know you, he'll see that."

"What if that's not true?" Chuck pressed, "I can't take a second rejection at his hand. That little boy in me cannot...It's easier to keep him at a distance."

"Of course it's easier," she replied, "But he's your dad."

"Just because he donated some sperm twenty some years ago, does that automatically qualify him for a second chance? I lived through eighteen years of rejection. Maybe it's my turn to reject him."

"Then you never would have allowed him to stay with us," she insisted, "You want to give him this chance. Whatever hesitation you brain is having with this reconciliation, your heart is telling you to do this."

Chuck took a deep breath, forcing the air out his nostrils, causing them to flare.

"Sleep on it," Blair suggested as she tapped at his chest, "See how you're feeling about all of this in the morning. We'll revisit my need to go shopping then."

Chuck nodded as he relaxed in the bed with her curled into him. Even with the bit of anger he had for her at the moment, he wouldn't have gotten to sleep without her warmth next to him.

**TBC…**

**Stayed tuned, and if you have a few moments, drop me a line to let me know if you're enjoying this.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Daddy," Luca whispered as he nudged his father's hand to wake him up, having climbed out of his crib early in the morning. Chuck's fingers twitched, but he didn't wake, causing Luca to pull on his father's hand a little harder. Chuck awoke with a start, looking around the room to get his bearings. The commotion startled Luca as he scurried behind his father's nightstand.

"Luca," Chuck sighed in relief as he saw his son's eyes peeking around the corner, "You startled me. What are you doing up so early?"

"Not tired anymore," he shrugged as he raised his arms to have his father pick him up.

"You're getting too big for your crib, aren't you?" Chuck stated as he lifted Luca up onto the bed, where the tot started bouncing. It was then that Chuck noticed his wife was absent. "Where's Mommy?"

"I don't know," Luca shrugged as he continued enjoying his makeshift trampoline. Chuck glanced towards Evie's baby monitor. It was off. Evie must have woken Blair, and she'd turned the monitor off so Chuck wouldn't wake.

"No more jumping," Chuck snagged him around the waist and sat him on his rump.

"I want zoo," Luca announced.

"It's too cold for the zoo," Chuck told his son. His son was so fixated on going to the zoo. It killed him that he had to tell his son no, but it simply wasn't an option.

"Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo," the little boy began chanting as he clapped his hands together.

"No," Chuck told him finally.

Luca stuck out his lip to pout and then scooted himself off the bed to run from the room.

Chuck sighed as he followed his boy out the door.

"Daddy say no," Luca whined when he found his mother in Evie's room, nursing his sister.

"About what, Peanut?" Blair tapped his nose.

"I want zoo," Luca whined.

"It's too cold, Sweetheart," Blair told him, "When it warms up, I know Daddy will take you, but you have to be patient."

"No," the boy moaned as he began jumping up and down.

"I know it's hard," Blair responded calmly, "But I know my little boy can do it."

Luca huffed as he stomped away, running right into his father's legs.

"I'll take you soon," Chuck lifted Luca into his arms, even as the boy protested and tried to wiggle out, "I promise, Luca, when the weather is warm enough that I'll take you to the zoo."

"You no want go with me?" Luca gave his father his best puppy dog look.

"I want to go with you more than anything. Nothing is more important to me than you and Evie and Mommy," he assured his son, "I want to spend every minute I can with you. How about we do something else that is just as fun today?"

Luca gave him a skeptical look.

"How would you like to climb around in a real fire truck?" Chuck tried his best to talk his idea up. One of the little boy's favorite toys was his red fire truck he'd been given for Christmas from his godfather. He'd driven the truck all around the house the day he'd gotten it and it was rare he went a day without playing it despite the plethora of other toys at his disposal. Whenever he saw a fire truck when they were out and about, he had to stop and watch it whiz past as he cheered it on. It was pretty adorable to witness. Chuck had been saving this activity for a snowy day.

"Fire truck!" Luca's eyes went wide with excitement as he bounced up and down eagerly in his father's arms.

"Sounds like a yes to me," Blair laughed, "Maybe you two can invite Papa Bart and have a boy's day out."

If it was possible, Luca's eyes appeared to grow wider with excitement, and he cheered a bit more.

"How about we get started on our day and let Mommy and Evie have a little girl time?" Chuck suggested as he patted Luca's rump to usher him out of Evie's room though he didn't follow. "Good morning, my beautiful wife."

"Good morning, my handsome husband," she smiled up at him as he bent down to kiss her lips, "Did you sleep well?"

"Until our son scared me awake," he nodded, "I think it's time to splurge on a big boy bed. He's freeing himself with an alarming frequency, and I'm worried he's going to hurt himself climbing out."

"He has a birthday coming in a few weeks," Blair nodded as he ran his fingers through her hair, "Perhaps a big boy bed for the two year old."

"I never get tired of watching this," Chuck marveled as Blair fed their daughter.

"She's not nearly as dependent on me as Luca was at her age," she sighed.

"Luca was just proving how enamored he was with breasts," he chuckled.

"A true Bass," she smirked, "I only gave birth five months ago, but already I want another one."

"So do I," he agreed.

"After Luca is potty trained we'll start working on it," Blair stated.

"As long as we can keep practicing in the interim."

"That's an absolute must," she nodded, "We must keep our skills sharp."

"I'm the luckiest man," he proclaimed as he bent down to kiss her again, "To have a wife that enjoys intimacy as much as I do."

"More," she amended as she grabbed a handful of his robe and brought his lips to hers again.

"Daddy," Luca appeared suddenly to scold his father, "Fire truck. Let's go."

"Three children, three times the interruptions," Blair teased him as Luca pulled him out of the room.

"We'll figure it out," Chuck vowed before he disappeared from her sight.

* * *

"Thank you for being flexible with our plans today," Chuck told his father as Luca entertained himself by climbing all over the fire truck again and again, "I know we had talked about having lunch together."

"Your son comes first," Bart finished for him, "It's something I'm starting to learn."

"I know you're back to reestablish or perhaps establish a relationship with me, but what are your other plans now that you're back in New York?" Chuck inquired.

"I suppose I should get in touch with the board at Bass one of these days," he sighed, "I can't play the doting grandfather forever."

"You could if you wanted to," Chuck replied, "It's not as if we need the money. You could always retire and find something you're passionate about."

"I used to be passionate about my work," Bart admitted, "But being away from it for so long, I've missed it less and less. I wouldn't even know where to start in finding a new passion."

"How about with a certain ex-wife?" Chuck offered.

"Lil is remarried," Bart shook off the suggestion, "I'd say that ship has sailed."

"I see the way you look at her," Chuck replied, "You look at her in a way I've never seen you look at anyone else. After all the flings, the affairs, the nannies, and the prostitutes you settled down just once, with Lily. She penetrated something inside of you that hasn't been touched since my mother. Are you really going to let that go so easily because she's married?"

"I complicated her life enough just by coming back," Bart continued to shake his head, "And quite honestly, I don't deserve another chance with her. She's happy with Rufus. I guess that's the last good thing I gave her."

"Daddy, fireman," Luca interrupted as he brought along one of the firemen that worked the exhibit.

"Lieutenant Forrester," the fireman introduced himself.

"Chuck Bass," he responded as he shook the man's hand, "And my father, Bart."

"Good to meet you both," the fireman said, "Your son sure knows his way around a fire truck."

"We can thank his godfather, Nate, for that," Chuck laughed, "He bought him his first fire truck and a book full of fun facts about being a fireman."

"I be fireman," Luca announced as he raised his arms to his father to be picked up.

"When you're old enough, you can be whatever you want to be," Chuck nodded, "A fireman, a soldier, a businessman like your grandfather, whatever you want."

"I be fireman," Luca repeated.

"Then you'd better each your vegetables, so you'll grow up to be big and strong like Lieutenant Forrester," Chuck stated as poked his son's tummy.

"Your dad's right," Lieutenant Forrester chimed in, the three men doing their best to keep straight faces as Luca appeared to be taking his word has gospel.

"I play on truck," Luca wiggled free.

"Go wear off that seemingly endless supply of energy you have," Chuck encouraged him as Luca ran off and appeared to make a new friend as he climbed around.

"It was good to meet you both," Lieutenant Forrester nodded as he went back to interacting with the children.

"How do you stand all that cuteness?" Bart inquired as he watched Luca run around.

"It is difficult," Chuck laughed, "It's hard to turn down anything he asks for. Luckily he doesn't ask for too much."

* * *

"I a fireman," Luca proudly announced to his mother as he arrived home dressed in his very own fire fighter outfit that was purchased at the end of his outing.

"You certainly are," Blair beamed as she kissed his forehead in greeting, "Looks like you had a fun day."

"I climb on red truck," he told her.

"And I hope Daddy has pictures," she smirked as she glanced towards her husband.

"He does," Chuck confirmed as he handed his phone to her to look through them.

"You are just the cutest thing," Blair told him as she kissed his head again.

"I show Li-Li," Luca announced.

"Li-Li went home early today, Peanut," Blair told him, "Why don't you show Rosa instead? I bet she'll give you a cookie."

"Cookie!" he sprinted off in the direction of the kitchen.

"The costume is adorable," Blair greeted her father-in-law with a kiss to his cheek and then greeted her husband.

"Bart's contribution to the day," Chuck stated, "Luca wouldn't leave the store until he could put it on, and he told everyone he encounter on the way to the limo that he was a fireman."

"He's going to outgrow the fireman phase, isn't he?" she swallowed nervously, "My boy is not going to be allowed inside burning buildings."

"I'm sure it's only a phase," Chuck assured her.

"Mama, I want veggietables," Luca announced as he came in with a giant cookie in his hands, chocolate already coating his face.

"Veggie tables?" Blair looked at him in bewilderment.

"I be big and strong if I eat veggietables," he nodded.

"Vegetables," Blair realized, "We'll make sure that Rosa includes them in your dinner."

"I show Evie," Luca stated as he tugged on his costume before tugging on his mother's skirt.

"She's sleeping, Sweetheart," Blair told him.

"She always sleeping," he frowned.

"She's a baby. That's what they do," she tapped his nose, "You can show her when she wakes up."

"I go play," Luca announced as he darted off to his secret spot.

"Since when does he voluntarily eat vegetables?"

"Since the fireman he introduced us to agreed with me that to become a fireman that he had to eat his vegetables," Chuck laughed.

"You're donating a rather large sum of money to one of those firemen's charitable causes," Blair informed him, "Anyone that can make my son eat vegetables without a fuss deserves a medal."

* * *

"What are you doing in the dark all by yourself?" Blair inquired as she strolled into her husband's study in the late hours to find him sitting in front of the picture window, watching the snowfall. It was one of those crazy winters where it seemed to be snowing everyday.

"Couldn't sleep," he told her as he sipped at his hot chocolate, prepared by their housekeeper minutes earlier, "I didn't want to wake you, so I ventured down here. I brought Evie's monitor with me."

"You okay?" she inquired as she went behind him and began massaging his shoulders.

"Just a funk," he nodded.

"It happens," she agreed as she pressed into his shoulders a little harder, "Are you wanting to talk?"

"I'm fine," he assured her, "But I love you for the offer."

"It's been good having Bart here, don't you think?"

Chuck nodded in response, "Luca sure enjoys it. He has yet another adult he can wrap around his fingers."

"Are you talking through anything yet with your father?"

"We've dipped our toe into things," he replied.

"Have you thought anymore about letting Bart attend your therapy session?"

"I have," he nodded, "I think it's probably a good idea. I don't feel comfortable getting into things with Luca around and having the potential to overhear. He doesn't need to know about all that went on with me and Bart, especially when he's not old enough to understand it."

"My offer still stands. If you think it will help to have me there with you, I'll be there."

"It might help keep me from throwing a punch," he nodded.

"Come back to bed. I'll work you out so you can get to sleep," she whispered into his ear.

"Tempting," he felt himself smirking despite the funk he was in.

"Come on," she began nibbling, "I'll do that thing you like."

"You'll have to be more specific," he groaned as her hands traveled down his chest, massaging as she went, "I like everything that you do."

"Come to bed," she baited him again, "It's so lonely without you laying next to me, keeping me snuggly warm."

"Snuggly warm," he chuckled.

"I'd call you my 'Snuggly Bear', but I think you'd protest the reference," she smirked as she pulled him to his feet and began pulling him along.

"You should know I won't protest when it comes to you, me and our nocturnal activities," he chuckled as he paused momentarily to grab Evie's monitor before allowing himself to be pulled to their bedroom.

"You're only giving me nocturnal," she pouted, "What happens when I want you during the daylight hours?"

**TBC…**


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